Lethal Weapon 1×04 “There Goes the Neighborhood” Recap

BUDDY TV – “There Goes the Neighborhood” is rife with high quality goodies. Right out of the gate we get Dr. Mo Cahill all smokin’ hot in a shortie wetsuit at the same beach where (surprise) hobo Riggs crouches over a spicket rinsing his delicates. She does look impressively smoking hot, by the way, and hotter yet when she slams Riggs about his raggedy-man appearance. This is the kind of feistiness that gives a character depth and staying power, so it’s a huge boost for the LAPD shrink.

Let’s not forget Officer Murtaugh who kicks it with Junior Murtaugh at their old neighborhood barber shop where they run into an old classmate of Junior’s selling bootleg DVDs. Buckle your seatbelt for another roller coaster ride and lots more interesting banter between this two hotties my friends. And while your savoring that deliciousness, the action continues with Murtaugh and Riggs chasing down a professional home robbery duo in Murtaugh’s own neighborhood. One of the guys looks like Mr. Clean, or the black Hulk, as Murtaugh likes to call him. (He looks like The Rock on steroids to me. Kinda handsome, but wide as a barn and 100% muscle.) The team chases the thieves through a closed garage door only to watch them fly out of there on a motorcycle moments later. And we’re off to the races.

Lethal Weapon Wows Millions (12.4 Million, to be Exact)

Oh, and in case you haven’t heard the joyous news, let me be the first to lay it on you: Lethal Weapon has been picked up for a full season. Yessir, that’s right. We’ve got another 14 whole episodes in our future. Hot damn. So lots more blood-pumping, testosterone-juicing, chase scenes, humor and romance is on the way. Onward.

Best Takedown Scene In a Decade of TV

Wow. There are no words … how do you do justice … just, wow. Talk about wildly entertaining! I’m talking about the takedown scene in the men’s locker room shower where Riggs and Murtaugh try (mostly unsuccessfully) to cuff the Black Hulk. “Come over here and try to take me down” threats and splashing and naughty bit humor and Murtaugh sliding across the room while Riggs gets his head lodged between the man’s massive thighs. Rajon “Black Hulk” Phillips literally cleans up the place with Starsky and Hutch … until Riggs finally slugs the man in his massive family tripod so Murtaugh can shock the shine out of him. We’re only 15 minutes in and my evening has already been made.

Riggs tackles and cuffs suspect number two, John “Boogie” Baker who stole the getaway van from his ex employer, Valley Star Cable, at a neighborhood basketball game run by Coach Marshawn Wiley. Remember that name because its important later.

Baby Murtaugh Dives into Hot Water

Murtaugh’s son Roger goes cruising with his old pal from the barber shop, Marcus. They get pulled over for speeding, but Roger gives his dad’s name and badge and they get left alone. A moment later, Marcus gets a call and has to go back to work, leaving Roger on the side of the road. Without wheels in a rough neighborhood and far from home, Roger calls Riggs for a ride, selling him a story about sneaking out of the the house for hot sex. Reluctantly, Riggs picks the kid up, but gives him an earful about manning-up and telling his parents where he really was if he wants to be treated like an adult.

Trish calls Murtaugh about Roger’s misadventures and Murtaugh flips out, punching Riggs in the face for insinuating himself into his family’s business. At first I naively thought this was a huge over-react on Murtaugh’s part, but Big Daddy Murtaugh makes it very clear that things can (and often do) go astronomically bad if two black kids from the poor side of town are pulled over doing 80 in a brand spanking new Porsche by an unknown middle aged white cop. Unfortunately, during the chew-out, Murtaugh makes it about Riggs not loving anyone but himself.

One more thing: Roger assures Murtaugh that the Porsche wasn’t stolen because it was from Marcus’ valet job.

The Victim Connection is Tied to the Valet Service

Detectives Bailey and Cruz (who get along like oil and water because Bailey thinks Cruz acts like he’s entitled) help out the team when a text comes to Boogie’s phone. Bailey calls Murtaugh and Riggs with the texted address which is the same as an in-progress 9-1-1 call. Riggs talks to the lady hiding in the closet who reports seeing four hooded thieves, but then she runs for the door and gets shot dead.

While Riggs is off picking up Roger, Murtaugh finds a valet ticket and makes the connection that all of the homes being burgled use the same valet service. It turns out that Marcus works for the valet service and had been collecting the names and addresses of customers with expensive cars who were using the service (and therefore not home, so they could be easily robbed).

Cruz and Bailey Finally Connect Over the Valet Stand Owner

Cruz uncovers that all the valet stands are owned by the same person using a bogus name. The real owner is none other than Coach Marshawn Wiley. Meanwhile, Marcus has been kidnapped by the thieves because he has Detective Murtaugh’s phone number on his cell. They are going to make him participate in a heist.

Riggs and Murtaugh Make Up … Sorta

Since Roger said Marcus works at the valet stand, Mertaugh goes in search of the little miscreant and finds nothing but the kid’s phone discarded in some nearby bushes. At this point Riggs is on the scene as well and the two are at least on speaking terms. None of the other valets will fess up to anything until Riggs singles a guilty one out and starts talking about how this kid should be particular when choosing his butt buddy when he’s in lock up over the weekend. The kid finally caves and turns over an address that the thieves are targeting.

A Whole Lot of Sh*t Goes Down During the Heist

While the thieves and Marcus are ransacking the house, the homeowners Uber it home and walk in on them. The adults put a mask over Marcus’ face and hand him a gun. Once the home owners are bound and gagged, Rajon “Black Hulk” Phillips pulls off Marcus’ mask and tells him to kill the innocent people or he will kill them.

Right before dumbass Marcus pulls the trigger, Murtaugh and Riggs come busting through the place. They get the thieves, but Marcus runs out with the gun until Murtaugh confronts him and they have a Mexican standoff. Murtaugh talks to the boy, who finally lowers his gun, but is then shot in the shoulder by Coach Marshawn Wiley who knows the boy can identify him if he cuts a deal with the cops. Riggs then tackles the coach.

Dr. Cahill Makes the Boys Kiss and Make Up for Real

With the case solved and the men still not seeing eye to eye, Captain Avery sends them to couples therapy with none other than Dr. Mo Cahill. Mo gets the two to understand each other a bit by translating Murtaugh’s “You are crazier than a sack of cats,” into “Your behavior has been erratic and impulsive,” and Riggs, “You punched me in the face and cracked two teeth,” into “I am truly hurt by you.” The boys, with straight faces, then trade hilarious compliments until Mo kicks them out of her office.

Back at the barber shop, Riggs and Murtaugh chew the fat with Murtaugh’s buddies and begin sharing the tales of their exploits together as Riggs waits for a hair cut. (Please, oh please, do NOT cut those flirty curly locks off that man’s crown! It’s one of the most charming things about Riggs other than his voice, his eyes, his humor, his willingness to role play … need I say more about one half of the team magic that has already made Lethal Weapon FOX’s highest fall premiere in two years?) See you next time for more of the same, people.

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A hermit farmer discovers his late father's secret journal containing plans to a magnetic powered machine that could change the world, while unexpectedly becoming custodian of his gifted 6 year old nephew, after his mom's untimely death.

Hey pumpkin, that was one excellent episode last night. If Riggs and Murtaugh split up, there's always Ruthie. 😉 That last scene on the beach when Riggs discovered she was his neighbor, loved it. I also love Riggs' journey to become whole again...you are just so awesome in that. Just sad that it's going to be a couple of weeks before the next episdoe airs. Another great season. Toodles

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